A&E Trauma Unit

Lancaster A&E Live Waiting Times

Royal Lancaster Infirmary

University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust

Reported by visitors, not the hospital. Waits shown here are typical for non-urgent cases. Patients are seen in order of clinical priority, so the most seriously ill are always seen first no matter how busy the department is.
Report a wait time

This hospital doesn’t have live data yet. Help others by sharing your experience.

0 minutes total
Community reported wait times

These times are reported by visitors and may not reflect current conditions.

No reports yet. Be the first to share your experience!

Past NHS Data

This hospital previously had a live data feed. The averages below are based on 100 past readings. Last live update: 13 Aug 12:26.

2 hr 26 min
overall average
4 hr 25 min
longest recorded
Nearby A&E & urgent care
Keswick Community Hospital Urgent Treatment Centre
41.3 mi away
Long wait
Penrith Community Hospital Urgent Treatment Centre
42.5 mi away
Long wait
Warrington Hospital A&E
45.5 mi away
Long wait
West Cumberland Hospital A&E
45.6 mi away
Long wait
Runcorn Urgent Treatment Centre
49.9 mi away
Long wait

There are also other nearby A&Es which collect wait times from the community, including Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Royal Preston Hospital and Furness General Hospital.

Contact & location
Ashton Road, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA1 4RP
Opening times
Monday TodayOpen 24 hours
TuesdayOpen 24 hours
WednesdayOpen 24 hours
ThursdayOpen 24 hours
FridayOpen 24 hours
SaturdayOpen 24 hours
SundayOpen 24 hours
Getting here
Train stations
Lancaster Rail Station11 min walk to A&E
Bare Lane Rail Station53 min walk to A&E
Bus stops
17 routes·4 operators·5 stops within walking distance
Royal Infirmary Medical unit 2 (by, northbound)1 min walk to A&E
Royal Infirmary Main Entrance (by, eastbound)1 min walk to A&E
Infirmary (o/s, northbound)3 min walk to A&E
100StagecoachLancaster University ↔ Morecambe
1AStagecoachLancaster University ↔ Heysham
2XStagecoachLancaster University ↔ Morecambe
4StagecoachLancaster University ↔ Lancaster City Centre
40StagecoachPreston City Centre ↔ Morecambe
41StagecoachPreston City Centre ↔ Morecambe
42StagecoachBlackpool Town Centre ↔ Lancaster City Centre
487The Travellers ChoiceLancaster City Centre ↔ Abbeystead
503Kirkby Lonsdale CoachesLancaster City Centre ↔ Borwick
567Archway TravelHambleton ↔ Freehold
581Kirkby Lonsdale CoachesStalmine ↔ Lancaster City Centre
88StagecoachHambleton ↔ Lancaster City Centre
89StagecoachKnott End on Sea ↔ Lancaster City Centre
941StagecoachPreston City Centre ↔ Lancaster City Centre
L1Kirkby Lonsdale CoachesCaton Road
Infirmary (opp, south-east)3 min walk to A&E
1StagecoachHeysham ↔ Lancaster University
100StagecoachMorecambe ↔ Lancaster University
1AStagecoachOverton ↔ Lancaster University
2XStagecoachMorecambe ↔ Lancaster University
4StagecoachLancaster City Centre ↔ Lancaster University
40StagecoachMorecambe ↔ Preston City Centre
41StagecoachMorecambe ↔ Preston City Centre
42StagecoachLancaster City Centre ↔ Blackpool Town Centre
487The Travellers ChoiceAbbeystead ↔ Lancaster City Centre
503Kirkby Lonsdale CoachesBorwick ↔ Lancaster City Centre
567Archway TravelLancaster City Centre ↔ Hambleton
88StagecoachLancaster City Centre ↔ Hambleton
89StagecoachLancaster City Centre ↔ Knott End on Sea
940StagecoachFreehold ↔ Preston City Centre
941StagecoachLancaster City Centre ↔ Preston City Centre
L1Kirkby Lonsdale CoachesCaton Road
Pointer (by, south-east)3 min walk to A&E
1StagecoachHeysham ↔ Lancaster University
100StagecoachMorecambe ↔ Lancaster University
1AStagecoachOverton ↔ Lancaster University
2XStagecoachMorecambe ↔ Lancaster University
4StagecoachLancaster City Centre ↔ Lancaster University
40StagecoachMorecambe ↔ Preston City Centre
41StagecoachMorecambe ↔ Preston City Centre
42StagecoachLancaster City Centre ↔ Blackpool Town Centre
487The Travellers ChoiceAbbeystead ↔ Lancaster City Centre
503Kirkby Lonsdale CoachesBorwick ↔ Lancaster City Centre
567Archway TravelLancaster City Centre ↔ Hambleton
88StagecoachLancaster City Centre ↔ Hambleton
89StagecoachLancaster City Centre ↔ Knott End on Sea
940StagecoachFreehold ↔ Preston City Centre
941StagecoachLancaster City Centre ↔ Preston City Centre
Plan journey by public transport
What’s available here
Accessibility
Braille Translation ServiceDisabled ParkingDisabled WcInduction LoopSigning Service AvailableWheelchair Access
Accommodation
Access To TvInternet AccessPublic TelephoneSingle Sex Accommodation Only
Parking
Car ParkingCycle ParkingDisabled Parking
Faith Services
On-Site ChapelPrayer Area
Food and Amenities
CafePharmacyShop

About Royal Lancaster Infirmary

Royal Lancaster Infirmary runs a 24-hour accident and emergency department, open to all ages, on Ashton Road in Lancaster, Lancashire, part of University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust. It is a designated Trauma Unit, equipped to treat significant injuries and to stabilise the most serious cases before transfer to a regional Major Trauma Centre. The wider site runs 27 listed departments and services, from Breast Surgery to Vascular surgery.

The Care Quality Commission rates it Good, last inspected in November 2017. The site lists 657 parking spaces, 24 of them designated disabled bays, with patient parking averaging £1.50 an hour.

Official NHS performance

59.9%seen within 4 hours
8,971attendances in September 2026
60.4%England average for major A&Es

NHS England publishes these figures for University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust as a whole, covering every A&E the trust runs rather than this site alone. That is below the England average of 60.4% for major A&E departments over the same month.

In the NHS Friends and Family Test for August 2026, 69% of 156 patients who responded at this site reported a positive experience.

Attendances by year

NHS yearA&E attendancesMonthly averageWithin 4 hours12hr+ waits to admit
2023-2494,4157,86861.9%5,114
2024-25107,9148,99367.1%4,849
2025-26108,5499,04660.5%6,257
2026-27 (6 months)54,7429,12456.7%3,827

Between 2023-24 and 2025-26, monthly A&E attendances rose 15% and the share seen within four hours fell by 1.4 percentage points.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check the current A&E wait time at Royal Lancaster Infirmary?

The live waiting time for the A&E at Royal Lancaster Infirmary is shown at the top of this page, together with when it was last updated. Times are reported by recent visitors and carry a community badge - after your own visit you can submit your wait time in a few seconds to help the next person.

When is the A&E at Royal Lancaster Infirmary quietest?

Patterns vary by hospital, but across UK urgent and emergency care the quietest window is usually the early morning, roughly 4am to 7am, with demand building through the afternoon and peaking in the evening. Friday and Saturday nights and Monday mornings are typically the busiest periods. See our guide to the best time to visit for more detail.

How long will I wait at Royal Lancaster Infirmary A&E?

Patients are triaged on arrival and the most urgent cases are always seen first, so your wait depends on how serious your condition is and how busy the department is. Hospitals in England work to the NHS four-hour standard - the aim is to admit, transfer or discharge patients within four hours of arrival. The live figure on this page shows how Royal Lancaster Infirmary is doing right now. NHS England's most recent figures (September 2026) show 59.9% of patients across the trust's A&E departments were seen within four hours.

How often are the waiting times on this page updated?

This page updates whenever a visitor submits a new wait time, so freshness depends on recent reports - each entry shows when that person visited. If you have been to Royal Lancaster Infirmary recently, submitting your wait takes a few seconds and helps others plan.

Is the A&E at Royal Lancaster Infirmary open 24 hours?

Yes - the A&E at Royal Lancaster Infirmary is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. In a life-threatening emergency always call 999.

Where is Royal Lancaster Infirmary and how do I get there?

Royal Lancaster Infirmary is at Ashton Road, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA1 4RP. For general enquiries call 01524 65944. Enter your postcode in the Getting here section for a door-to-door route.

Is parking free at Royal Lancaster Infirmary?

No - patient and visitor parking here averages about £1.50 an hour (NHS estates return, 2024-25). The site lists 657 parking spaces, including 24 designated disabled bays. Concessions often apply for blue badge holders, frequent attenders and some patients - check the hospital's own parking page.

What is the CQC rating for Royal Lancaster Infirmary?

Royal Lancaster Infirmary is rated Good overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of health and social care in England, following an inspection in November 2017. You can read the full CQC report.

Can children be treated at Royal Lancaster Infirmary A&E?

This A&E serves: All ages. If your child's age group is not treated here, the nearby section on this page lists alternatives - or call NHS 111 for urgent advice and 999 in an emergency.

Is Royal Lancaster Infirmary a Major Trauma Centre?

No - Royal Lancaster Infirmary is a designated Trauma Unit. It treats significant injuries and stabilises the most complex cases before transfer to a regional Major Trauma Centre.
About this data
This hospital previously had a live data feed but is no longer being updated. Historical averages from past NHS data are shown below. Current waiting times are reported by visitors and may not reflect actual conditions. You can see how we source data for every hospital on our data sources page. Department labels shown (e.g. A&E, MIU, UTC) are our interpretation of the source data and may not match the hospital’s own terminology. If any information is incorrect, please let us know.
Directions